Handle for a box



June 11, 1957 l. FELDMAN ETAL 2,795,367

HANDLE FOR A BOX I Filed Jan.- 21, 1953' United States Patent HANDLE FOR A BOX Irving Feldman, Hollywood, and Irving Caster, San Mateo, Calif.

Application January 21, 1953, Serial No. 332,354

1 Claim. (Cl. 229-52) This invention relates to a handle for a box which is integral with the box and which also serves to keep the box closed. The invention is primarily applicable to boxes of cardboard, but may be applied to boxes made of other materials.

It is highly desirable to provide a box for merchandise which may be easily carried. In the past, a number of box handles have been proposed, but ordinarily these handles have added to the expense of the box and have been detachable. When detachable handles are used, there is always a possibility that the handle will become lost and, in any event, the use of separate handles requires extra storage space and record-keeping.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive handle for a box which is integral with the box.

Another object of this invention is to provide a box handle which also serves to fasten the box in a closed position.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a box employing the handle of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a partial view of the box in a closed position, showing the manner in which the handle of the present invention serves to keep the box closed.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a sheet of blank stock showing the manner in which the handle of the present invention is made.

Figure 4 is a view from the interior of the box of Figure 1, in the general direction indicated by the arrow at 4, showing the inner construction of the assembled handle.

Referring now to the drawings by reference characters, there is shown in Figure 1 a box having a handle thereon made in accordance with the present invention. The box has been generally designated 6 and has a bottom portion 8 and a top or cover 10. In the cover 10, on the side 12 a slot 14 is provided which is of the same general size and shape as the handle, so that the handle can go through the slot.

The handle proper consists of a piece of the stock from which the box is made and has been designated 16. One side of the handle 16 is provided with a large tab 18, which is made integral with one of the side portions 20 of the bottom of the box. The tab portion 18 is left attached to the side portion 20, but is hinged at a fold line 22. The other side of the handle has a similar tab 24, and at the time of manufacture, its point of attachment to the side 20 is perforated as at 26, so that the tab 24 may be readily torn from the body of the blank. In the side of the box, an H-shaped slit 28 is cut, the central portion of the H being slightly shorter than the handle portion 16, and the sides 30 of the H being slightly longer than the width of the handle 16.

To use the handle, it is only necessary to tear off the tab 24 at the perforation 26 and fold the tab 18 on the line 22 to the inside of the box, as is shown in Figure 4. The slit 28 is then spread sufficiently to enable the handle portion 16 to be passed through the slit 28; the slit 28 may then be closed with the handle protruding through the sides 30 of the slit. The handle will then be in the position shown in Figure 1. Since the slit 28 is closed, it protects the contents of the box and also prevents the handle from returning to the interior of the box. When it is desired to close the box, the handle 16 can be pushed in slightly, the box closed, and then pulled out, through the slot 14. In this position, thehandle not only serves its normal purpose as a handle, but also serves to fasten the box in a closed position.

In Figure 3, showing the blank from which the box is made, we have shown a conventional box construction having corner tabs 32, which fit into slots 34. However, the manner of fastening the box together forms no part of the present invention and any conventional box making technique may be employed. Although a single piece box is shown for illustration, it is obvious that the handle described may be used with boxes having separate covers.

It is believed apparent from the foregoing that we have described a handle which forms a portion of a box, which is inexpensive to manufacture and which serves not only as a handle, but also to hold the box in a closed position.

We claim:

A box construction having a handle, comprising: a flat blank of box stock having foldable panels one of which is destined to overlie the other in a finished box; said blank including an integral handle portion comprising a flat handle strap having laterally enlarged end portions, the enlarged end portion at one end of said strap being foldably attached to the edge of said other panel with said strap parallel to and spaced from said edge, said other panel having a slot therein parallel to said edge and defining transverse edges slightly wider than said strap and spaced from said edge a distance substantially equal to the distance of said strap therefrom, one of said transverse edges being aligned with said one end of said strap and said slot being of less length than said strap, said one panel having a rectangular opening therein of a length substantially equal to the length of said slot and arranged to overlie said slot in the finished box.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,745,770 Shapiro Feb. 4, 1930 1,877,601 Shapiro Sept. 13, 1932 2,124,955 Quagliotti July 26, 1938 2,157,062 Stopper May 2, 1939 2,365,887 Lind Dec. 26, 1944 2,634,043 Arneson Apr. 7, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 454,304 France Apr. 24, 1913 

